Mortality during and after opioid substitution treatment in Austria 2002 to 2016

Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) is the most common treatment of opioid addiction in the EU. (Reduction) of mortality is one evaluation criteria for success. A mortality cohort study on patients (formerly) in opioid substitution treatment (OST) was conducted in Austria (linkage of general mortality register and OST-register on pseudononymised base). All 25,000 patients starting OST between 1.1.2002 and 31.12.2016 were followed until 31.12.2016 (200,000 person-years). Two third of these person-years have been in OST treatment. 1,500 persons died between 1.1.2002 and 31.12.2016. The standard mortality ratio was compared with other similar mortality cohorts. First results show a lower mortality ratio in comparison to other studies. In addition an analysis of death causes will be conducted and presented.